Book reviews by yours truly

Aqua by M.A. George Blog Tour!

M.A. George is part proud mother of two adorable children, part super top secret agent…Oops, probably just lost that job.

Writing is what keeps her up into the wee hours of the night. Fortunately, she has a lot of energy (Read: caffeine is her friend). She has a bit of an obsession with music (It does a fantastic job of tuning out rambunctious children while she attempts to focus).

She sincerely hopes people out there enjoy reading her work as much as she enjoys writing it. And if anyone hears of work for a super top secret agent, she’s now available (Discretion guaranteed…).

The only real “mystery” in Layla’s life is why her father has never been on the scene. Or why her mother drags Layla to a new coastal home every year.

Nothing about the latest hometown seems too newsworthy…until a routine day at the beach leaves Layla questioning whether she’s read one too many paranormal fantasy novels. The plot thickens when a random guy claims to know things about her father—a bizarre claim he backs up with an equally impossible stunt. And Layla soon finds herself on the wrong side of a mysterious attempted drowning…on her own kitchen floor.

When all is done, Layla will attest that fact is far stranger than fiction. And nothing in real life is ever as transparent as it seems…Not even water.

Especially not water.

Aqua is the story of seventeen-year-old Layla McKelland and how her semi-ordinary life becomes extraordinary when she meets Tristan and Pyke, two rowdy individuals that are anything but normal. When someone or something attempts to drown her in the murky ocean depths, Layla learns that her new acquaintances know a lot more about who she is than she does, including who her father is. What she isn’t is a normal seventeen-year-old girl who moves every year on her birthday. In fact, she’s not even human. On top of all of that, she must deal with new feelings brought on by her newfound friend, Tristan, as well as a war in which she was never aware she played a part. Layla must learn the ways of her kind quickly or she risks losing it all.

There were a few grammar errors scattered throughout the chapters, but they did not hinder the reading experience or fluid progression of the story.

I would recommend Aqua to anyone who loves fantasy or paranormal fiction, especially those who enjoy a full-length young adult novel. Aside from the occasional foul language, Aqua is suitable for most teens.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the story. I found the characters especially charming. I’m now a total fangirl for the young love shared between Layla and Tristan. Layla was incredibly down-to-earth and it’s hard to believe she is merely a character in this amazing story. Her wisecracks and emotions are on par for her age and sometimes it’s easy to lose yourself in her dialogue. For the first time in a while, I was able to see the story and all the beautiful details of the world within as I read along. From the beginning to the very end, it felt like I was a character living and breathing the ocean air (and water) right alongside the hilariously unique cast. Before I signed up for this tour, I had never heard of M.A. George, but now I know who she is and I’m kind of sad that I haven’t been losing myself in her splendid worlds much sooner. I’ll never make that mistake again! She uses such vivid details to describe her characters and her worlds that it’s hard not to see and even hear them. She has a gift and wields words as a tool so well that I was left in awe as I read. I truly can’t wait to pick up another work of hers in the future.